The Jesus Game Instructions
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Station #5: Puzzle # 5 is a list of tasks to do and things to find. It is mix of a scavenger hunt and tasks. There is not file for this. I leave it up to your discretion. They should be asked to find and do a variety of

things, perhaps compose a poem or a drawing. Try to design things that will involve the greatest varieties of talents. This will help draw in as many kids as possible and let each know that they are a valuable part of the team. Once the list of things is completed they will be given the verse Luke 23:26. Simon of Cyrene helping Jesus carry His cross. The trial for this involves picking out the biggest and smallest person on each team. Tell the smallest person that he/she must carry the biggest person across a set distance. Remind them of the message of the passage. The real key to this is that in actuality the entire team can help the smallest person carry the largest. But don't tell them that outright. If they ask, you can refer them to the scripture, or let them know that they can help each other ... whatever you feel appropriate.

Station #6: Puzzle #6 (file: Station 6.doc) is simple in appearance, but has eluded many a people. This is a series of scripture passages about prayer. The scripture passages is the trial itself. What they are to do to pass this trial is to kneel down and pray. If you have time, let them pray together for a while. Perhaps giving them an intention to pray for.

Station #7: The puzzle for this (file: Station 7.doc) is a riddle about 2 roads, one to life, the other to death. Here, my classical Greek training comes out :o) ... though of Greek origin, the riddle is very easily

adaptable to Jesus and Satan. Jesus who is the Truth, and Satan, the father of lies. The solution of this is rather difficult, and you may substitute any other game/puzzle you find appropriate. The solution is to ask any of the men, "What would the other person tell me is the road to life" then take the opposite road. Hence the hint -1 X -1 = 1. It's twisted, I know, but interesting. The last trial is the culmination of the entire game. Give the team this last clue and leave them to their devices ... "The last answer is inside of you ... search your soul and you will find the answer". What they are to do is to crack their egg, and find the final clue.

The final clue contains the citation Acts: 4:32, "The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common." Only the citation is necessary, not the entire quote. It also contains a part of a scripture citation that summarizes a message you are trying to give them .. I generally used 1 Corinthians 13. But the citation must be divided into as many parts as there are teams. To decipher the last citation, all the groups must put their pieces together, thus the reference to Acts. Anyone who lost their egg along the way can have their egg returned after saying a prayer or perhaps some other act of penitence. The significance of the egg as the life/soul of the team is many fold. This last trial involves the dying of self for others, for God, for community. The team worked the entire time to safeguard it. Now, how willing will they be to give up that precious possession for the group?

There are many ways to split up the last citation but I will give you a simple, easy way to do it. Let's take 1 Corinthians 13 as an example, split up into 4 parts.

part 1: 1 _ _ _ i_ _ _ a_ _ _3

part 2 :_C_ _ _ t_ _ _ n_ _ _

part 3: _ _ o_ _ _ h_ _ _ s _ _

part 4: _ _ _ r_ _ _ i_ _ _ 1_

Each of these would be typed ( for space saving) on a small strip of paper. Which in turned is rolled up as tiny as possible, wrapped in plastic, saran wrap, and placed inside the egg. If you've done your work well, the look of astonishment when they crack the egg and find the message inside alone is worth all the work. If you can, you might want to make an extra set of eggs, just in case one of them does break. Just make sure you label them somehow so you know which is which.

A few more logistical notes, as I said, outside works best, but a church hall will do fine as well. You need a minimum of 3 people: 1 angel, 2 working at alternating stations. The 2 station people do a leap frog of

sorts regarding stations. Hopefully no team will outdistance another by more than 1 station. If they do, the angel can just have them kneel down and pray. Always keep extra copies of everything on hand, just in case someone looses this or that ... especially the final clue.